On September 17th, the Guiding Star Project partnered with The ProLife Center at The University of St Thomas to host our Together For Life fundraiser in the Twin Cities. Abby Johnson was our main speaker and we were so honored to have her help share the vision of the Guiding Star Project. As the former director of  a Planned Parenthood clinic and now the Board Chair of Guiding Star Brazos Valley, she is in a unique position to understand our mission and help spread this vision to more people. The highlight of the night was being able to announce our newest Guiding Star Affiliate — Guiding Star Twin Cities!
For your viewing pleasure, are various photos from the evening.

Here is the beautiful banquet hall, ready and waiting for our guests to arrive.  

The booths of various event sponsors were located outside the banquet hall, to connect our guests with the many really wonderful organizations in the Twin Cities.

Guests were able to purchase various items from our own Guiding Star Project table of course. 

Some of our guests were able to relax in the VIP room with Abby Johnson prior to the banquet. 

Here’s our founder, Leah Jacobson, relaxing with her water and a new friend from Open Window theater.
This pregnant mama needed to get off of her feet for awhile.

Time to get started! Guests take their seats.

 
In the center of the image, at the table with Abby Johnson, is the wonderful Bridgett Scott and Austin Riordan (of Austin Riordan Videography) who are working on a video for the Guiding Star Project. The trailer was viewed at the banquet. If you haven’t seen it yet, go see it here!

 
We were honored to have Dr. Teresa Collett, Law Professor and Director of the Prolife Center at the University of Saint Thomas in St. Paul, welcome everyone and be our MC for the evening. 
 

Leah spoke about the history of the Guiding Star Project, what it has done in its few short years, and where we wish to go.

 

The highlight was being able to give our surprise announcement — the incorporation of Guiding Star Twin Cities! Below, Leah introduces the Guiding Star Twin Cities Board of Directors, to lengthy and enthusiastic applause. 

 
Next, Abby Johnson, our main speaker for the night and member of Guiding Star Brazos Valley, spoke to a full house. She gave a moving speech about her own conversion from being pro-abortion to working for the cause of life. She knows firsthand how abortion hurts women and she spoke forthrightly of the need of the pro-woman and pro-life providers to work together. Abby told of the various referrals she would make to Planned Parenthood clients, and how statistically only about 25% would actually follow up with those referrals. For women without reliable transportation or access to childcare, making another appointment and going across town to another health provider is often a great difficulty, and most simply don’t go. Thus, our guests were able to hear about the importance of various groups being able to work together, and to be located within the same building. In a Guiding Star Center, women will be able to go to referrals just down the hall. There will be drop-in childcare, so they don’t have to worry about trying to find childcare in order to make it to her appointments. Simply seeing one provider in a Guiding Star Center, she will learn about the other services and providers that are also a part of the Center. Abby also spoke movingly, about other things in defense of woman’s great dignity, and the dignity of our children. 
 

After the banquet, Abby was able to stick around to talk to attendees and sign copies of her book. 

 

As the night came to a close we were able to get a photo of the Guiding Star Project Board of Directors with Abby.

 

More exciting than that, here is a great picture of the board for Guiding Star Twin Cities! 

We were so happy to see so many great organizations and to meet with amazing people in the Twin Cities. It was great to see Twin Cities learn about GSP and to support and welcome GSTC, and to commit to helping them begin building a holistic, pro-woman, life-affirming Guiding Star Center in their own area. It was truly amazing to see so many get excited about helping make the vision of the Guiding Star Project a reality. Thank you.

If you’d like to watch the evening’s talks in full and learn how you can support us, check back tomorrow!
We look forward to sharing more with you about this amazing event and how you can still participate!